Hay-press.



N0. 653,789. Patented July I7, |900.

S. M. BRAGG.

HAY PRESS.

licatio (Nn Nudel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

SILAS M. BRAGG, OF GURDON, ARKANSAS.

HAY-PRES S.

SPECIFICATION forming1 part of Letters Patent No. 653,789, dated July 17, 1900. Application filed January 23, 1900. Serial No. 2,491. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that LSILAS M. BRAGG, acitizen of the United States, residing at Gurdon, in the county of Clark 'and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Hay-Press, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hailing-presses in general, and more particularly to that class employed for baling hay, although it may be employed for any other purpose for which it is adapted; and one object of the invention is to provide a simple structure which may be operated by hand or by horse-power and in which the hay or other material will be firmly pressed and will be discharged in bales of proper size.

A further object of the inventionfis to provide means for returning vthe plunger after each operation, and also to provide asimple means for holding the end gate to the cover of the compression-box in operative position and for releasing it to permit Ithe discharge of the bale.

The nal object of the invention is to thoroughly brace the structure to prevent dismemberment under the strain of the baling operation, and also to provide means for adjusting the length of the path of movement of the compressing-plunger.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which similar numerals of reference designate like and corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a complete hay-press constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig.2 isalongitudinal section of Figl, taken at one side of the plunger in a vertical plane and showing a completed bale in the compression-box and also the position of the parts during the compression of the rst charge of a second bale. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the plunger. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the discharge end of the pressl with the end gate in position.

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention comprises a trough-like frame, including a bottom 5, and sides 6 and 7, of which the sides include separate planks separated by interspaces 8 in the usual manner. Transversely of the under sides of' the bottom 5 and at the en ds thereof are secured cross-pieces 9 and 10,130 whichV and to the sides 6 and 7 are fixed uprights ll'aud l2, respectively, the uprights 12 being connected at their upper ends by a cross-piece 13, which serves to hold them from outward displacement. In the rear of the uprights 12 are disposed upper and lower cross-pieces 14 and' l5, connected by vertical brace-rods 16 in the usual manner, and beneath the cross-piece 13 is a corresponding cross-piece 17, connected therewith, exterior of the sides 6 and 7, by brace-rods 19, which act to hold the cross-v pieces from separation. Between the sides 6 and 7 and at the ends thereof adjacent the uprights l2 is disposed a top piece 20, which is cut to receive the upper edges of the sides and forms the top of the press-box, the crosspieces 13 and 14: being let into the upper faces of the top. In order to hold the gates at the rearend of the press-box, a loop 22 is secured to the bottom 5 and extends beyond the end thereof, while a similar loop 23 is secured to the cross-piece 13 and extends outwardly to lie above the loop 22, the bottom 5 being cut away in alinernent with the outer portion of the inclosureof the loop 22 to permit said loop to receive the lower end of a bolt 26, the upper end of which is engaged with the loop 23. The loop 23 is pivotally connected with the cross-piece 13 to permit limited movement, as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that said'loop may be lowered and raised to move it into and out of engagement with the upper end of the bolt 26. To facilitate the adjustment of this loop 23, a lever 28 is connected therewith through the medium of a link 29, and has a fulcrum projection 30, which may be brought to rest upon the top of the bolt 26.

A plunger is slidably mounted in the frame and comprises parallel side pieces 3l and 32, having a suitable number of braces 33 connecting them, and the forward ends of these side pieces 3l and 32 are extended'upwardly, as shown at 31 and35, and to the end faces of the upturned portions is secureda rectangular plate 36 of a size to fit snugly within the compression-box. A bar 37 is passed through the side pieces 3l and 32, adjacent their rear ends, and extends beyond the outer faces thereof to lie in the corresponding interspaces 8 in the sides of the press-frame, and in which interspaces the bar is adapted for longitudinal movement, and thus, while IOO permitting reciprocation of the plunger, to hold it from upward displacement. In order to move the plunger forwardly to compress the hay in t-he compression-box, a toggle-lever is provided, comprising two links, one of which is pivotallyconnected with the plunger and the other is pivotally connectedA with the sides of the frame. One of these toggle-links includes two members 40 and 41, the corresponding ends of which are mounted on a shaft 42, journaled in the sides of the frame, and between these members is secured a plate 43, having a transverse slot 44, for a purpose which will be presentlyT explained. The other link of the toggle-lever includes two members 45 and 46, disposed at an angle to each other and the divergent ends of which are connected by a bar 47, adapted to interchangeably engage notches 4S in the sides 31 and 32 of the plunger to vary the length of the path of movement of the plunger. The members 45 and-46 are pivoted intermediate theirends to the members 41 and 40, respectively, and are substantially twice the length of the members 40 and 41, the convergent ends of the members 45 and 46 extending beyond the members 40 and 41 and being connected by an intervening block 50 or in any other suitable manner. In the ends of the members 45 and 46, adjacent the block 50, is mounted a shaft 51,upon which are journaled two pulleys 52 and 53, of which the former lies between said members and the latter lies exteriorly thereof.

A tie-rod 54 connects an upright 11 and an upright 12 at each side of the frame of the press, said rods at one end projecting through the uprights 12 and provided with adjustingnuts, while the opposite ends o f the rods are continued through the uprights 11, and are formed with'loops 56 upon the outer faces of said uprights, and in which loops are disposed journal-boxes 57. In the journalboxes 57 is journaled a crank-shaft 58, upon which is fixed a drum, comprising a portion 59 of one diameter and a portion 60 of a lesser diameter. In the major portion 5) of the drum is a pin 6l, over which is engaged a ring 62 at the end of a rope 63, which is wound upon the drum for a portion of its length, then is passed upwardly and over the pulley 52, and then downwardly, and has its opposite end attached to the cross-piece D. Thus if the drum be rotated in a direction to wind up the rope 63 the free ends of the members 45 and 46 of one of the links of the togglelever will be drawn downwardly, when the opposite ends of said members will be forced longitudinally of the press-frame and will correspondingly move the plunger into operative relation to the press-box.

In order to draw the plunger rearwardly2 a second rope 65 is attached thereto and is then passed outwardly and under the minor portion of the drum, and then upwardly and over the pulley 53, Vthe free end of the rope having a weight G6 attached thereto. Thus when the drum is rotated in an opposite direction to release the rope 63 corresponding movement ot the rope will act to draw the plunger outwardlyand the slack from the rope will be taken up by the weight 66. Furthermore, it will be seen that the excessive strain exerted upon the uprights 12 when the plunger is being forced into the box will be taken up by the tie-rods 54, and because of the crank-shaft being rotatably connected with these rods the strain upon the end gate will not misplace the uprights 12 or loosen them in any way.

The operation of the mechanism will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and, as readilyunderstood, after a gate has been adjusted to the rear end of the press-box in the manner above described the crank-shaft is operated to rotate the drum thereon,when the rope 63 will be wound in and the plunger will be forced into the press-box. The rear ends of the members 45 and 46 are then lifted by the pull of the rope 65 upon the plunger, and the plunger is moved rearwardly to permit the insertion of another charge of hay. This operation is continued untilthe pressbox is full, after which a second gate is put in place and after being pressed up the tiewires are passed round the bale in the usual manner. The loop 23 may then be disengaged from the bolt 26 and the completed bale forced from the box.

It will of course be understood that in practice various modiiications of the specilic structure shown may be made and that any suitable materials and proportions may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As above mentioned, the end of the rope G3 is provided with a ring 62, engaged with the pin 6l upon the winding-drum, and this method of attachment of the rope to the drum permits the ready disengagement of the rope, whereby it may be connected with the harness of a draftanimal or with any other means et drawing it to operate the plunger.

The plate 43, above referred to, acts to hold the links 40 and 41 properly spaced, while its upper edge receives the extensions 45 and 46 when the plunger is at the limit of its forward movement, and thus holds the togglejoint broken, so that the plunger may be returned by the rope 6.5.. It will of course be understood that any suitable number of pulleys may be employed in connection with the rope G3 to secure thedesired pressure of the plunger.

What is claimed is- 1. A hay-press including a frame comprising a press-box, uprights at the discharge end of the box, cross-braces lying against the rear faces of .the uprights and adapted to receive a gate-retainin g bolt, additional uprights connected with the frame at the forward end thereof, tie-rods engaged with the uprights at each side of the box, said rods being continued beyond the forward uprights and pro- IOO I'Io

vided with bearings, a shaft journaled in the hearings, a plunger in the box, a toggle-lever Comprising links pivoted to the plunger and to the frame, one of the links extending beyond its pivotal conneetion with the other link, a pulley mounted upon the free end of the extended link, a rope engaged with the frame and with the shaft and passed over the pulley and adapted to be Wound about the shaft, a second rope connected with the plunger and passed around the shaft, said second rope having its free end slidaloly engaged with the free end of the extended toggle-link and having a weight at its extremity.

2. Ahay-press comprising a frame including a press-box; a plunger, a toggle-lever oomprising links pivoted to the plunger and to the frame, one of said links extending loeyond its pivotal connection with the other link, a shaft mounted in the frame, a pulley mounted in the free end of the extended toggle-link,`a rope engaged with the frame and shaft and passed over said pulley and adapted to loe Wound upon the shaft, a second rope oonneeted with the plunger and passed around the shaft, said rope having its free end slid.- ably engaged with the free end of the extended toggle-link, and having a Weight at its free extremity.

3. A hay-press Comprising a frame ineluding a press-box, a plunger mounted in the frame for Cooperation With the box, said plunger Comprising side pieces having upwardlyprojecting forward ends having faee-boards attached thereto and said plunger having guide-pins for engagement With the sides of the frame and having notches eut in the upper edges of the side pieces and in the rear of the upwardly/extending ends and forming pivotbearings at different points ot' the length of the plunger, a toggle-lever comprising alink pivoted to the frame and a second link havin ga shaft adapted to be interchangeable with the pivot-bearings of the plunger, and means for operating the toggle-lever to reciprocate the plunger.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

SILAS M. BRAGG.

Witnesses:

W. D. LIPsooMB, W. H. CHEATHAM. 

